Israel Claims Killing Senior Hamas Commander in Airstrike

2025-06-30 05:58:42

(MENAFN) On Saturday, the Israeli military announced that its forces had successfully eliminated a top Hamas commander in a targeted airstrike in Gaza City. The individual, identified as Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa, was deemed a pivotal figure in the group's military buildup and its planning of the October 7th attack on southern Israel.

In an official statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed that the strike, executed on Friday evening in the Sabra neighborhood, led to the death of Al-Issa. The operation was carried out in collaboration with Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service.

Al-Issa, a founding member of Hamas' military wing, was described by the military as having played a crucial role in orchestrating and executing the assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. This attack resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 Israelis, along with the abduction of over 200 hostages, who were taken back to Gaza.

In his latest position, Al-Issa served as the head of the combat support headquarters for Hamas' military operations, allegedly overseeing a range of aerial and naval assaults targeting Israeli civilians and soldiers. He was also reportedly involved in efforts to reconstruct Hamas’ military infrastructure during the ongoing conflict, according to the IDF statement.

Before this, Al-Issa had led Hamas' training headquarters and was a member of its general security council. The IDF described him as one of the few remaining senior Hamas figures still operating within the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has yet to respond to Israel's assertions.

The conflict escalated on March 18 when Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza, bringing an end to a two-month ceasefire. As of Saturday, Gaza's health ministry reported that at least 6,089 Palestinians have been killed and 21,013 injured since the resumption of hostilities. This adds to the already staggering toll of 56,412 Palestinian deaths and 133,054 injuries since October 2023. Gaza's health authorities provided the updated casualty figures.

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